1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a press-connecting terminal in which an end portion of a covered wire is press-fitted in between press-contact blades so that the press-connecting terminal is electrically connected to the covered wire, and also relates to a housing accommodating the press-connecting terminal.
2. Background
FIG. 6 shows a press-connecting terminal 1 disclosed by Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho. 62-150868. The press-connecting terminal 1 has a contact section 2 for mating with another terminal on one side thereof, and a wire holding section 3 on the other side thereof. The wire holding section 3 has a pair of wire holding pieces 4 and 4 on the rear end side of the press-connecting terminal 1. A press-contact section 5 is formed between the contact section 2 and the wire holding pieces 4. The contact section 5 includes a bottom plate 6, a pair of side plates 7 and 7 which are extended upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom plate 6, and a pair of press-contact blades 8 and 8 which are opposed to each other and are extended from the side plates 7 and 7 in such a manner that they stand above the bottom plate 6.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the end portion of the covered wire 9 is press-fitted in between the press-contact blades 8 and 8, so that the conductor (core wire) 10 of the covered wire 9 is electrically connected to the press-contact blades 8.
However, as shown in FIG. 9, when the covered wire 9 is press-fitted in between the press-contact blades 8 and 8, the cover 11 of the covered wire 9 abuts against the bottom plate 6, so that the conductor 10 is located above the bottom plate 6 as much as the thickness L1 of the cover 11. Hence, the portions of the press-contact blades 8 on the bottom plate 6 side are not used. Accordingly, a sufficient contact load between the conductor 10 and the press-contact blades 8 may not be obtained.
The pair of side plates 7 and 7 are extended in the same direction from the opposite sides of the bottom plate 6. The portions of the side plates 7 and 7 on the bottom plate 6 side are difficult to open outwardly when compared with their upper side portions. That is, the holding force (the contact load) for holding the conductor 10 at the portions of the side plates 7 and 7 on the bottom plate 6 side are higher than the upper side portions. However, since the conductor 10 held between the press-contact blades 8 and 8 is positioned away from the bottom plate 6 as much as the thickness L1 of the cover 11 of the covered wire 9, the sufficient contact load for the conductor 10 may not be obtained.